THE UNITED STATES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3613, 12 June 1923, Page 28

THE UNITED STATES.

BAPTIST MINISTER SHOT DEAD. NEW YORK, June 6. Following on a quarrel over a- dog belonging to one of his congregation, the Rev. Mr Pierce (Baptist minister) was shot and killed, and the dog's owner was seriously wounded, at. Richmond (Vicgmia). It is alleged that Pierce poisoned a dog belonging to a- family named Garrett. A long-drawn-out quarrel followed, the minister finally mentioning the matter from the pulpit. Garrett and his brother administered a beating to Pierce, who went home and brought a revolver and fired upon Garrett. The latter returned the lire, and his brother also used a shotgun. ADVERTISING CLUBS. NEW YORK, June 6. The Associated Advertising Clubs of the World are holding their annual gathering at Atlantic City. It was decided to hold the 1924 convention in London on the request of the British members, 100 of whom are present. The advertising men will participate in the British Empire Exhibition. A TWELVE-HOUR DAY. The American Church and Synagogue organisations, representing 50,000,000 Protestants, Catholics, and Jews, have issued a statement condemning the Iron and Steel Institute’s decision to maintain a 12-hour day. The statement declares that the institute's objections to an eight-hour day are unworthy of a great American enterprise, and that the decision will oe bitterly resented by millions of homeloving working men. SENSATION IN CHICAGO. NEW YORK, June 6. The Chicago police are seeking a dainty girl who startled the city by an act of banditry and murder. She is barely out of her teens. The girl, aided by a” male accomplice, held up Mr R. C. Tesmer, a wealthy prominent business man, who was riding with his wife. She forced them to descend from the automobile at the revolver point. As the male robber, under the girl's instructions, was forcing the rings off Mrs Tcsmer’s fingers, Mr Tesmer moved, and the girl shot and killed him, escaping with the dead man’s car. PRESIDENT HARDING AND THE WORLD COURT. WASHINGTON, June 7. President Harding, acknowledging a letter from Bishop Gailor, head of the National Council of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in which the President is praised for his attitude on the subject cf a World Court, declares that by accepting membership of the World Court tho United States may make its largest

feasible contribution to the stabilisation of civilisation, while at the same time surrendering nothing to the advantages of independence enjoyed by the American people. BETTER DEFENCE SYSTEM URGED. WASHINGTON, June 8. A conference of 60 prominent educators, clergymen, and welfare workers with the W r ar Department endorsed a vigorous programme of military preparedness in the United States. While the conference opposed militarism, it favoured larger naval defence appropriations. It passed a resolution that peace within the country and peace among the nations of the earth was the sacred mission to which America devoted herself and her resources, but to pursue it unarmed and undefended would be the quickest way to invite war. WAR DEBT. NEW YORK, June 7. Britain has purchased Liberty bonds and established dollar credits to meet an 80,000,000 dollar instalment of war debt due on June 18. LONG LIST OF FAILURES. NEW 7 YORK, June 8. The collapse to-day of Messrs Winlceiman and Company, one of W 7 all street’s biggest brokers, with liabilities of over 4,000,000 dollars, brings to a climax a series of 20 similar failures in less than two years, which have cost investors more than 100,000,000 dollars. Within the last few- weeks three large firms have crashed. The Federal Government is commencing an inquiry as to whether there is a possible collusion in the bankruptcy. AMERICAN MINE SWEEPER WRECKED. VANCOUVER, June 8. A Seattle telegram says that all eight officers and 60 men have been rescued from the American mine-sweeper Cardinal, which has been wrecked off Chuckoif Island, Alaska. She will probably be a total wreck.